Game Room: Weekly Roundup

Review: Need for Speed: Most Wanted U

Electronic Arts

Publisher: Electronic Arts

System: Wii U

Need for Speed: Most Wanted U is a Wii U port of last year’s hugely successful sequel to the long-running racing series, and those who haven’t already the game on another console definitely won’t want to miss it. The game’s open world saves the experience from the repetitive drudgery that can befall modern racers. Longtime Burnout developer Criterion knows better than anyone how to craft a face-peeling sense of speed mixed balanced with an irresistible just-one-more-race addictiveness. The Wii U version has few, if any, graphical advantages, though a second player can take advantage of the gamepad to tweak the game while the other player drives. NfS: Most Wanted U is a strong -- and necessary -- addition to the Wii U library.

Score: 9 out of 10

Review: Bioshock Infinite

2K Games

Publisher: 2K Games

Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Bioshock Infinite is a bold, artistic step in the evolution of the shooter: an adult-focused, story-driven action game in a world that feels completely realized. Rather than the undersea world of the previous two Bioshock titles, Infinite finds the character in a floating city in the clouds in the early 1900s. You spend most of your time with Elizabeth, the most memorable and credible AI companion since Half Life 2’s Alyx. The world is so rich and so impressively detailed that it’s almost a shame that the game even has to lean on its shooting mechanics -- the gunplay, even though it’s very well-implemented, feels almost unnecessary. The overwhelming strength of the game is the exploration of the world, looking for narrative secrets in the environment, uncovering the secrets of Columbia. It’s a lingering, unforgettable experience.

Score: 10 out of 10